A Trickle of Blood
by mysticaladventurer
Summary: Weeks after the Cell Games, a singular strand of Cell's DNA was discovered, untouched by Gohan's final Kamehameha. What if he resurrected himself and sought refuge in Dr. Gero's lab, thirsting not for revenge but for something different...the blood of the one who destroyed him? And, what if no one knew that Cell survived the blast, and that he acquired a newfound interest in Gohan?


**Disclaimer**

Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT are all owned by Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, and Akira Toriyama. I do not own any characters, story plots, ideas, etc. Please support the official release!

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**Dedication**

I would like to dedicate this story to my dear friend Kat for inspiring me to write this story, for being an advocate who encourages me when the going gets tough, for being one of my first best friends on Tumblr, and for being an absolutely perfect Cell in the DBZ roleplaying community. You mean so much to me, lovely – I love you so much! :3

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**Chapter 1: Voices**

_Gohan__…_

In the vast darkness of his mind, almost as limitless as the Hyperbolic Time Chamber itself, an ambiguous voice beckoned him. While the voice seemed to echo from the farthest depths of his conscience, it sounded like a whisper in his ear. The pace of his young heart quickened, and he stood up, concealing his body behind a shadowy pillar in the middle of the opening.

_Gohan, you stubborn boy__… W__ake up__…__!_

Smooth as silk, the voice filled the expanse of his mind. Its source was impossible to find – it sounded like it resounded from everywhere, yet nowhere at the same time. It wrapped itself around him, slowly squeezing the air out of his lungs, which made him gasp.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the voice revealed itself in the form of a tall, lumbering shadow, its only notable features two magenta eyes floating in the black expanse of its face and long, raven-colored nails reflecting dim light. Pressing a claw against the half-Saiyan's throat, the silhouette yelled, _"Come on__... W__ake up-!"_

"B…but, I am…" Gohan sputtered to the stranger. His life force decreased with every second as fear seized him.

Despite his plea, the shadowy individual ignored Gohan and grazed one of its sharp nails across the surface of his skin. Blood oozed from the cut, a silent sting wailing from it. The shadow cackled in satisfaction. It pressed its lips, slivers of ice, against the half-Saiyan's ear, making him flinch.

_"Gohan… I will do whatever it takes to make you scream…"_

"W-wait a minute…you're...no, it can't be-!" Gohan whispered, frozen by the enemy's touch while hot, sticky blood trickled down his neck. "No…let me go-!"

_"Calm down, child!"_ the voice demanded as the sky above them tore open, allowing an eerie scarlet light to pour into the domain. Like fish out of water, the demi-Saiyan's limbs flailed violently for freedom, but the voice continued to crush his ribs in a cruel caress, causing a crack to echo through the clearing. Eyelids fell over the starry globes of his eyes. "Stop it! I...I'll kill you, C-!"

_Gohan__…__**Gohan**__! Wake up-!_ The grotesque spell suddenly shattered like glass; as the shadow melted away, its voice morphed into a high-pitched timbre, ringing like a bell over Gohan's head, and its grip softened into a mound of blankets wrapped snuggly around him.

"No, no! I'll kill you…I'll kill you for good-!"

"Gohan! Oh, poor baby… Wake _up_-!"

From sheer surprise, his back rapidly peeled from the mattress of his bed, and he let a dry scream escape his lips.

"Don't worry, everything's okay…it was only a nightmare."

"A...a nightmare...?" He blinked, and his chest throbbed. Unlike the shadowy place in which he found himself a minute ago, he was now in his bedroom - drops of sunlight splashed off the windows onto the carpet, a cool mountain breeze drifted past his oak desk, and a damp array of ebony bangs clung to his face. On his left, the door creaked on its hinge; on his right, ChiChi, his mother, stretched out an ivory palm, touched his forehead, and spoke to herself, mentioning something along the lines of a fever or the flu – whatever it was, Gohan did not know. He was buried in his own musings. _But...it seemed so real! _Instinctively pressing his fingers on the skin of his neck, which ached with a dull agony, his ears whirred with the ghastly voice of his worst nightmare – the bio-android Cell. The one who tortured his friends with the Cell Juniors' wrath. The one who tortured him until his anger snapped against his own will. The one who killed his father in a torturous explosion, ripping his gentle spirit out of his flesh.

"Y-yeah…you're right, Mom…!" Gohan reasserted his thoughts. _Cell can't be alive – I killed him… _He shook his head. Like a tape, the final moments of the Kamehameha struggle played in his conscience, the final moments when the bio-droid's figure was dismantled and had dissolved into utter nothingness.

To the side, ChiChi's lips tugged with a smile at Gohan's words. "Thank goodness…" she disrupted his memories, "I thought you were ill! I can't let you, the man of the house, get sick!" Her voice had a hint of teasing in it. "Besides, you have a lot of studying to do, young man - I hope you didn't forget about the thermodynamics test I'm giving you tomorrow!"

"No, Mom, I didn't forget..." he sighed, sliding off the bed. His clouded obsidian eyes detected the tall stack of books that towered like a skyscraper on his desk, and pencils that waited in regiments for the ultimate breach in security – the examination. With a muffled thud, Gohan's feet hit the ground.

"Good," she said, leaning down and briefly pressing her lips against his cheek in a kiss. "I certainly don't want you to fall behind on your studies! Before you dive into the books, though, how about some breakfast? I can make _anything_ you want..." She winked, fully aware of his insatiable Saiyan appetite.

"Actually, I'm not that hungry..." admitted Gohan honestly, his stomach tying itself into a knot. "I'll just grab an apple. Thanks, though..."

ChiChi's eyes widened. "Just an apple-? Are you sure? Maybe you are getting sick with something - you're never _not_ hungry in the morning..."

"No, Mom, I'm okay..." he lied, a grimace distorting his facial features. Guilt tightened the anxious knot in his abdomen more. Without meeting her gaze, Gohan pushed past his mother as an ache rippled through his head.

Furrowing an eyebrow, ChiChi's eyes followed her son's wilted frame, disappearing down the hall. She crossed her arms. "I swear…I haven't the slightest idea of what goes on in that boy's head - he's just like his father-! But, he sure is acting strange today…"

Meanwhile, from the kitchen, Gohan quickly grabbed a ruby apple; from the sofa, he grabbed a white cape; from the sun-washed windowpanes, he grabbed a colorful idea – which painted itself in sweeping strokes of autumn leaves that flippantly fell to a mossy ground, a glistening silver pool that reflected the sky's hues, woodland creatures that graciously shared their habitats with one another, and a crystalline horizon that gave the hope of life to all its observers…

After ten minutes of gliding through icy cloud wisps, Gohan found himself at that scene. Tall trees – oaks, pines, maples – scraped the sky and boasted manes of red, orange, yellow, brown, and green, all held intact by fibers of amber sap, which, like Sirens, enticed visitors with sweet melodies. The trees bended toward the half-Saiyan to create a shaded tunnel in his honor and to offer their choicest fruits to him; in return, Gohan gazed at the fruits not with hunger, but with awe. Every time he explored the woods, he felt a connection to it, a sort of exhilaration that awakened him and left him feeling more hopeful than before. As he strode down the familiar forest paths, he hoped that his mind would clear and release all recollections of the nightmare. Wind whistled past the labyrinth of stumps, gently tousling the boy's hair and whispering, "Gohan, welcome! We're so happy you're here!" while from the foliage, several creatures poked their russet heads out and gave a hospitable nod.

Although the achiness still clung to his skull like a leech, Gohan extended his arms to both sides and ran down the winding pathway, letting his white cape flap behind him. He felt free from his responsibilities – he felt free to roam the environment alone, independent, disconnected from the evils of the world.

"Ah…I'm finally here!" he exclaimed as his legs vigorously carried his body closer to a tree-enclosed clearing, in the middle of which lay a small pond. Skidding to a halt, Gohan took in the familiar surroundings. Lush green grass underfoot. Lilting birdsongs overhead. Lofty tree branches in between. In a glorious euphony, crisp breezes hummed the woodland's tune, which further worked to wash out the half-breed's mind. Falling to his hands and knees beside the water, Gohan closed his eyes.

_Dad, I miss you so much… I remember coming here with you when I was a little boy. Thank you for everything – for giving me the strength to continue, and for never giving up on me, even when I held you back in our training…I'll keep getting stronger for you! I love you!_

A voice, ominously calm, answered the half-Saiyan: _My dear Gohan__…your father can't hear you. Even I thought you knew that, boy...!_

Gohan's eyes snapped open. In the water's reflection, he saw the same magenta eyes as before, glinting at him from the shadowy depths.


End file.
